Ex-Maple Leaf Turns PTO Into NHL Contract With Heated Rivals

The NHL's 32 teams have all submitted their official roster lists ahead of the start of the 2025-26 regular season, which kicks off tonight.

For the Leafs, there were a few surprises when they submitted their roster list on Monday, with Easton Cowan being sent down to the Toronto Marlies and Ben Danford assigned to his junior team, the Oshawa Generals.

For their rivals, the Florida Panthers, who were able to keep most of the band together after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, their opening night roster will feature a name whom Leafs Nation will be familiar with.

Ahead of training camp, the Panthers brought in former Leafs forward Noah Gregor on a PTO. After a successful training camp, Gregor has officially landed himself an NHL contract in Florida.

Gregor played 63 games with the Maple Leafs during the 2023-24 season after turning a PTO into a 1-year deal in Toronto.

Following his lone year in Toronto, Gregor then turned some heads by signing with their Battle of Ontario rivals, the Ottawa Senators, where he played 40 games last season before finishing the year in San Jose, with whom he had started his NHL career.

In order for the Panthers to sign Gregor to his NHL deal, they first had to place Aleksander Barkov on LTIR. They also announced a recall for Mackie Samoskevich in the process.

Signing in Florida, Gregor will see a lot of the Leafs again this season, as long as he sticks with the big club.